saguaro
Sonoran Desert giant
The saguaro is a large cactus native to the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
It grows slowly but can reach heights of forty feet or more, developing the distinctive branching arms that make it an iconic symbol of the American Southwest.
Saguaros can live for over 150 years and provide food and shelter for desert wildlife.
The saguaro's white blossoms are Arizona's state flower.
Stiff, pointed projections
- succulentMoist and flavorful
- areolePigmented ring or cactus node
- columnarShaped like a pillar
- ribbedWith raised parallel lines
blossom · fruit · pollination · drought-resistant · stomata · transpiration · xerophyte · chlorophyll
48th state admitted
- TucsonSouthern Arizona city
- PhoenixArizona's capital city
- Sonoran DesertArid region, Arizona-Mexico
- bajadaCoalesced alluvial fan plain
Baja California · arroyo · wash · desert floor · rocky slopes
Of imposing height
- columnarShaped like a pillar
- monumentalExceptionally large or significant
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
- imposingImpressively grand in scale
tall · arms · silhouette · iconic · sentinel · giant · massive · statuesque
Able to withstand aridity
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- longevityDuration of existence
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- hardinessAbility to endure adversity
slow-growing · lifespan · centenarian · arid · scarred · weathered · shallow roots · desiccation
Organism's natural environment
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- keystoneArch's central locking stone
- nicheRecessed wall space
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
endemic · adaptation · cactus wren · packrat · javelina · mesquite · ironwood · pollinator
Gathering mature crops
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- indigenousOriginating in a region
Western films · state flower · silhouette · iconography · photography
spines
Stiff, pointed projections
ribbed · blossom · fruit · pollination · drought-resistant · stomata · transpiration · xerophyte · chlorophyll · photosynthesis
Arizona
48th state admitted
- TucsonSouthern Arizona city
- PhoenixArizona's capital city
- Sonoran DesertArid region, Arizona-Mexico
bajada · Baja California · arroyo · wash · desert floor · rocky slopes
towering
Of imposing height
- columnarShaped like a pillar
- monumentalExceptionally large or significant
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
imposing · tall · arms · silhouette · iconic · sentinel · giant · massive · statuesque · soaring
drought-resistant
Able to withstand aridity
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- longevityDuration of existence
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
hardiness · slow-growing · lifespan · centenarian · arid · scarred · weathered · shallow roots · desiccation · dormancy
habitat
Organism's natural environment
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- keystoneArch's central locking stone
- nicheRecessed wall space
symbiosis · endemic · adaptation · cactus wren · packrat · javelina · mesquite · ironwood · pollinator · nectar
harvest
Gathering mature crops
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- sacredWorthy of reverence
indigenous · Western films · state flower · silhouette · iconography · photography
- Cactiprickly pear, barrel cactus, cholla, cereus, Christmas cactus
- Southwest Florayucca, Joshua tree, agave, mesquite, juniper
- SonoraNogales, Sonoran Desert, Magdalena, Yaqui, Moctezuma
- desertsand, sand dunes, sand dune, dune, dunes
- plantstree, plants, leaves, bluebonnet, trees
- North American Naturebald eagle, American bison, bison, grizzly bear, raccoon
saguarobarrel cactus
Stout cylindrical desert succulent
peyote · prickly pear · cholla
- saguaro cactusGiant columnar desert succulent